Update from Barra de Navidad

It's been a little while since our last update. We are still well and enjoying ourselves and the surroundings.

I don't know how the time can flyby so quickly here! There are a few routine things in the day.

We listen to the cruisers' "Amigo net" on Marine SSB (8.1220 MHz USB at 9:00AM CST) for the weather (if we are up that early).

Then at 9:00 AM on Marine VHF Channel 22A is the local Barra and Tenacatita cruisers net. This keeps everyone up to date on who is arriving and any activities going on, as well as a source of help and information for each other.

Also around this time the French Baker (from the town of Bara) comes by in his panga (the panga is the all purpose Mexican boat for fishing, water taxi and whatever is needed.) selling freshly made French bread, almond and chocolate croissants, and assorted pies and sweets. This is definitely nice and possibly addictive.

We try to get in a swim at the pool everyday. Everyone seems to gather from 2 to 4 for a swim and chat. This is a very social lifestyle. That is one of the most enjoyable parts. We have folks stopping by during the day. And we are visiting with each other at sometime during the day, either on their boat, ours, or at a local restaurant.

In between all this there is visiting the local towns, grocery shopping, e-mail and the ever present boat chores.

It's been fun renewing friendships made on the Baja Ha Ha, Cabo and Puerto Vallarta as our paths cross here in Bara. We say good by to friends here, knowing we will be seeing them again, somewhere along the way.

Last week the hotel and marina sponsored a fishing tournament. That brought in a huge amount of people and boats�huge power boats. There was a lot of music and activity those three days. I did hate to see the sailfish, and swordfish strung up for weighing and viewing. We even saw one that was only 4-5 feet long brought in. What a waste! I understand in many tournaments, a person is placed on each boat to verify the catch and weight and then the fish is released. That, unfortunately, was not the case here. Tuna and dorado were also caught. At least these were filleted and eaten.

Other activity here lately involved the MTV crew filming a contest and commercial, another film crew with a reality TV show, and last week, an episode of Fear Factor. This gave the hotel a party atmosphere with all the young people around.

As I'm writing this, Bill has the steering column taken apart and is greasing the dickens out of it.

He'll need to finish up soon. It's about time to head to the pool for a swim.

Warmest wishes,
Mary and Bill